Cumene is commonly utilized for the production of phenol and acetone. Such production involves the generation of cumene oxidation products cumene hydroperoxide (CHP) and dimethyl benzyl alcohol (DMBA). Reactive peroxide CHP decomposes and dicumyl peroxide (DCP) is produced from DMBA and CHP. The addition of acetone provides a mixture containing the desired phenol and acetone, as well as dimethyl benzyl alcohol (DMBA) and dicumyl peroxide (DCP). Flow reactor systems designed to carry out the cleavage and maximize the reaction output are also commonly plagued with inefficiencies. In a given cleavage system, cumene levels can be diminished where there are upset conditions or valve malfunctions. This can ultimately diminish the yield of cumene hydroperoxide cleavage.
Moreover, currently used reactor systems often employ cumbersome means for monitoring reaction conditions, effectively reducing system efficiency. Traditional online quantitative measurement devices can be configured into cleavage reaction systems to assess the water and organic composition of the reaction stream. These standard devices often require filters which must be regularly changed as they frequently become obstructed. Often, the sample for assessment must be diverted from the reaction flow, thereby depleting the reactant. Thus, there remains a need for a reaction system configuration that can reduce or eliminate cumene depletion and ultimately improve the overall robustness of the cleavage system. Furthermore, there is also a need in the art for a system configuration that incorporates a more efficient and accurate online assessment protocol. This need and other needs are addressed by the present disclosure.